As Europe slowly exits lockdown, Sweden hunkers down for long haul
20 May, 2020
Sweden has taken a soft method of virus restrictions and although its rules are likely to be set up longer than far away, officials are adamant their strategy is successful in the long run.
"This fight against COVID-19 is a marathon," Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said recently, adding that his officials "strongly believe" their measures are viable for the long term.
While persons in other Europe have gradually begun returning to their workplaces in recent weeks, Swedes have already been strongly advised to keep working from home, and perhaps not just for weeks, but for months to come.
EUROPE has started arranging a phased restart of travel this summer but Sweden has told its residents they have to holiday in the home, extending a non-essential travel advisory until at least July 15 -- the center of the country's main holiday month.
Other restrictions on travel, sport and care-home visits are also likely to remain in place whilst other countries make an effort to re-emerge from lockdowns.
However, Sweden never imposed full lockdown measures -- under-16s have continued to visit school, patrons have not been stopped from likely to cafes, bars and restaurants.
Although people have been urged to limit contacts and practice social distancing, the restrictions are advisory.
"It's apparently reasonably simple to take up a lockdown, but stopping it really is a lot more difficult," state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell of the Public Health Agency told AFP.
He noted the issue of getting people to check out recommendations when "one day you're supposed to do that and another you're supposed to take action else".
‘Future model'
Some have accused Sweden of playing Russian roulette with citizens' lives by allowing the virus to circulate slowly in society, with the key goal being to guarantee the public healthcare system can keep pace.
The results are difficult to miss -- Sweden's death count stood at 371 per million inhabitants on Tuesday, roughly eight times the rate in Norway and Finland, in line with the Worldometer website.
However, although Sweden's hospitals have reported strained conditions, they have not been overwhelmed.
At the Danderyd Hospital in Stockholm's north, Klara Bergmark, head of the intensive care unit, told AFP that staff could be tired, nonetheless they are preparing to just work at an elevated level over the summer and potentially "the whole year".
"Endurance is very important here, to be able to do this for years," Bergmark said.
Sweden's approach could be tough on some parts of society, but some experts view it as far-sighted, especially as you recent report from the University of Minnesota suggested "significant COVID-19 activity" was likely to be around for at least another two years.
"If we wish to get back to a society in which we don't have lockdowns, then society might need to adapt for a medium or potentially a longer time of time," WHO's emergencies chief Michael Ryan told a press conference in late April, suggesting Sweden is actually a "future model".
"I think there might be lessons to be learnt from our colleagues in Sweden."
Unfazed by the criticism of Sweden's strategy, epidemiologist Tegnell said it had been still too early to state whether a short lockdown phase in Sweden -- like those in neighboring countries -- could have limited its mortality rate.
But he has suggested another wave of the virus could be milder in Sweden than in countries where lockdowns were imposed.
"I believe the Swedish strategy has tested to be sustainable. We get figures now that people are actually increasing their adherence to your advice, not decreasing," Tegnell said.
Source: www.thejakartapost.com
TAG(s):